by Whitney Hale

(July 8, 2014) — Each year University of Kentucky students are recognized on the national, and even international, stage with a variety of prestigious scholarships, internships and fellowships that acknowledge their excellence in the classroom, as well as in research and extracurricular activities.

In the 2013-14 school year alone, UK students earned 11 more national awards than the previous year, including a prized Truman Scholarship and two Goldwaters. This brought the year's count of major honors to 35 with several national organizations awarding UK double the

by Rachel Knuth

(June 24, 2014) — Three University of Kentucky graduate students have received the fellowship award from the Association of Emeriti Faculty. Each award includes a stipend of $2,000.

Since 1996, the UK Association of Emeriti Faculty has awarded 53 fellowships to full-time graduate students who demonstrate a commitment to teaching at a university or college. Thanks to generous gifts from UK faculty retirees to the fellowship program and UKAEF’s Commonwealth of Kentucky Research Challenge Trust Fund, these gifts constitute a $77,000 donation of ongoing support of graduate students.

4Winners for the 2013-14 school year were Brad Fox, Ashley Bourgeois and Michelle Bolduc.

Bolduc is in her fourth year as a doctoral candidate in the

by Whitney Hale

(June 10, 2014) — University of Kentucky juniors Matthew Fahrbach, of Louisville, Ky., and Samuel Saarinen, of Shelbyville, Ky., have been awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship worth up to $7,500 per year. Fahrbach and Saarinen are among 283 students nationwide awarded the Goldwater Scholarship this year. This year's Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was authorized by Congress to honor the former Arizona U.S. senator who served the nation for 30 years. The scholarship program was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to

by Keith Hautala

(June 3, 2014) — The University of Kentucky has been awarded a $1.9 million grant to improve retention of students in the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics, through a collection of initiatives dubbed "STEMCats."

UK is one of 37 research institutions selected by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to receive an award, from among 170 institutions competing for a share of $60 million in total funding. The five-year awards, ranging from $1.2 to $2.4 million, are intended to enable schools to focus on "significant and sustained improvement in retaining students" in the STEM disciplines.

Although the need for STEM graduates is growing nationally, fewer than half of all students who enter college with the intention of majoring in

by Tony Neely

(April 29, 2014) — A total of 61 University of Kentucky Wildcats earned a place on the 2013-14 Sports Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll announced by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.

UK’s 61 honorees was the fourth most among the 14 league teams. UK has five representatives from the men’s basketball team, six from women’s basketball, 12 from gymnastics, six from rifle, 16 from men’s swimming and diving and 16 from women’s swimming and diving.  This marks another strong showing for UK’s student-athletes, who had the second-most qualifiers on the SEC Fall Sports Honor Roll released earlier this year.

The 2013-14 Winter SEC Academic Honor Roll is based on the grades from the 2013 Spring, Summer and Fall terms. Among other qualifications, a student-athlete must have a grade-point average of 3.00 or above for the preceding academic year or

by Whitney Hale

(April 22, 2014) — The University of Kentucky Office of External Scholarships announces Samuel Saarinen, of Shelbyville, Ky., has been awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship worth up to $7,500 per year. Saarinen is one of 283 students nationwide awarded the Goldwater Scholarship this year. This year's Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was authorized by Congress to honor the former Arizona U.S. senator who served the nation for 30 years. The

by Gail Hairston 

(April 14, 2014) — University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto, as the principal investigator, will lead a multi-million-dollar initiative with Kentucky and West Virginia universities to increase underrepresented undergraduates studying in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The five-year, $2.5 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant establishes the Kentucky-West Virginia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (KY-WV LSAMP) in the STEM disciplines. Coordinated by the UK Office for Institutional Diversity and UK’s co-PI and engineering Associate Professor Johné Parker, the alliance of nine institutions of higher learning includes UK, University of Louisville, West Virginia University, Western Kentucky University, Centre College, Marshall University, Kentucky State University, West Virginia

by Whitney Harder, Whitney Hale

(March 27, 2014) — The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities has chosen 12 outstanding undergraduates as new scholars for the university's Gaines Fellowship Program for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years. Gaines Fellowships are given in recognition of outstanding academic performance, demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, an interest in public issues and a desire to enhance understanding of the human condition through the humanities.

Gaines Fellowships are awarded for the tenure of a student's junior and senior years, or for the last two years of a five-year program; students in all disciplines and with any intended profession are given equal

Originally posted on President Eli Capilouto's blog

It is with immeasurable sadness that we mourn the shared loss of a transformative figure in the life of the University of Kentucky. On February 18, 2014, Dr. Wimberly Royster, a professor emeritus of mathematics and former administrator at the University, passed away.

For those who knew him – and there were many – they know this Henderson County native believed that Kentucky could compete at any level; it just took vision and persistence to see it through.

That level of resolve was ever present in Dr. Royster’s work. During his tenure at UK, he was dean for both the Graduate School and the College of Arts & Sciences, as well the first vice president for Research and Graduate Studies and a special assistant to the president of the University.

Professor Royster helped propel UK to a new level

by Whitney Hale

Feb. 10, 2014 — Celebrated chemist, novelist and playwright Carl Djerassi comes to the Bluegrass this week. Known for his work in organic chemistry and as a father of insect and human birth control, Djerassi will take part in several events being held Feb. 13-15, at the University of Kentucky.

During his visit to the Bluegrass, Djerassi will participate in three events. He will first serve as the featured speaker at a luncheon for business and academic leaders. The talk, "Academic Entrepreneurship: Facts through Fiction," will feature his perspective on academic-business relationships in science and technology and will be followed by a question and answer session. The luncheon is Feb. 13, at the Hilary J. Boone Center.

by Whitney Hale

(Jan. 28, 2014) — Renowned chemist, novelist and playwright Carl Djerassi, known for his work in organic chemistry and as a father of insect and human birth control, will take part in several events being held Feb. 13-15, at the University of Kentucky.

During his visit to the Bluegrass, Djerassi will participate in three events. He will first serve as the featured speaker at a luncheon for business and academic leaders. The talk, "Academic Entrepreneurship: Facts through Fiction," will feature his perspective on academic-business relationships in science and technology and will be followed by a question and answer session. The luncheon will begin at noon Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Hilary J. Boone Center. Cost for the luncheon is $

by Keith Hautala

(Dec. 16, 2013) — Katharine Ott, assistant professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Mathematics, has been chosen by the Association for Women in Mathematics to receive its annual service award for 2013.

The award was created in 2012 to honor volunteers who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to the organization. Recipients are chosen based on contributions made over the past seven years. Ott was one of two recipients to be honored this year.

Ott was selected because of her service to the association as a principal investigator on the successful Sonia Kovalevsky Day grant from the National Science Foundation. Sonia Kovalevsky Days, named for a pioneering Russian woman mathematician of the 19th century, consist of a program of workshops, talks, and problem-solving competitions for female high school and middle

by Jenny Wells

(Dec. 16, 2013) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research has honored 18 students with the Oswald Research and Creativity Program awards.  Representatives from the Office of Undergraduate Research, along with director  Diane Snow, presented the winners with certificates at a reception on campus Dec. 5.

Established in 1964 by then-UK President John Oswald, the Oswald Research and Creativity Program encourages research and creative activities by undergraduate students at UK. The objectives of the program are to stimulate creative work by undergraduate students and to recognize individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement.

Categories include Biological Sciences; Design, including

by Jenny Wells, Whitney Hale

(Nov. 22, 2013) – A new University of Kentucky Core class sets out to prove that in fact you can use advanced mathematical applications to solve real world problems.

The goals of "Intro to Contemporary Mathematics," or MA 111, is to expose students to a variety of mathematical topics not typically seen in a traditional algebra-based math class, to encourage students to persist in solving problems and to develop an appreciation for the beauty of mathematical solutions, and to recognize the value of mathematics in solving a variety of practical problems in society and culture.

Martin Montgomery

video courtesy of UK Public Relations & Marketing

article by Jenny Wells

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2013) — In addition to research presentations, the 2014 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) will offer numerous volunteer opportunities for the entire campus community when the University of Kentucky hosts the conference April 3-5, 2014. From helping direct traffic, to managing technology, to just helping students find where they need to go, there will be a variety of positions available to students, faculty and staff.

Students will have even more flexibility to get involved, as the University Senate has given permission for faculty to redirect their classes April 3 and 4 so students can attend conference events and presentations. 

"This is a bit unusual; it's a new

by Whitney Hale & Amanda Miner

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 22, 2013) — Skylab astronaut Joe Kerwin will visit the University of Kentucky to present students Tyler "T.J." Flynn and Josiah Hanna each with a $10,000 scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) during a public lecture and ceremony, 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the Memorial Hall Amphitheatre. If the weather turns colder, the event will be moved inside to the Engineering Commons, located in the Ralph G. Anderson Building. 

During the visit, Kerwin will share his experiences as a

By Grace Liddle

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 25, 2013)  - University of Kentucky Department of Mathematics Professor Carl Lee has won a Mathematical Association of America 2014 Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award. The award will be presented Jan. 16 at the 2014 Joint Mathematics Meetings Prize Session in Baltimore, Md.

The Haimo Award is presented to honor college or

by Jenny Wells

Last week, the University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence honored its newest class of Chellgren Fellows.  Benefactor Paul Chellgren and his wife Deborah, along with Chellgren Endowed Chair Philipp Kraemer, UK Provost Christine Riordan, and UK President Eli Capilouto, recognized and congratulated the students on being named Fellows.

The Chellgren Fellows Program is for students with exceptional academic potential and aspirations, who are eager to participate in a special learning community designed to cultivate extraordinary achievement. Outstanding faculty members from across campus serve as individual mentors for the Fellows.

The students selected as 2013-14

video courtesy of UK Public Relations and Marketing

article by Jenny Wells

Planning and hosting a national conference is no easy task, but for the UK community, collaboration makes it all possible. The University of Kentucky will host the 2014 National Conference on Undergraduate Research, or NCUR, next semester, which will bring nearly 4,000 additional students from across the country to the UK campus. And as students, faculty and staff can attest -- it is something worth bragging about.

NCUR will take place April 3-5, 2014, all throughout UK's campus. The conference will give undergraduates a unique opportunity to present their research and creative endeavors, while meeting other like-minded students from all across the country. They not only promote their individual work,